The Mind of Mature Persistence

We are back, after a very refreshing and blessed trip, with many lessons from the glory of God in creation and direction from the Lord on how to live more of a Sabbath rest of faith lifestyle. More on that later.I returned to a mostly remodeled office. I have a window now! I have a much nicer office now, more organized, with some natural light with a nicer appearance than I ever would have had without the crash. If only we would clearly see the finished picture even in the moments when life impacts us hard many burdens would be lighter. That is what this meditation is about: the great encouragement that the Lord has given us by lot, by His divine choice and overruling, to make the ‘finished picture’ of glory inheritance our own now. We have a powerful inheritance: “For the joy that was set before him” he endured the cross. “…though you have not seen him, you love him, and though you do not see him now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 These thoughts are helpful to me in renewing determination to deal with challenges that just don’t go away.

#242 The Mind of Mature Persistence Joshua 13.1I am struck by the scenario presented in Joshua 13 and 14. “When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, ‘You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.’” Joshua 13:1 “In spite of the many victories already achieved” (Soncino) there remained a lot more work to do.Sometimes we make up the discouraging story that past spiritual victory and character refinement is cancelled out by present struggles. What a lesson for us: the amount to be overcome does not negate the amount that has been overcome. !!! The Lord then delineates all the land still to be conquered, verses 2-5, and then concludes in verse 6: them will I drive out from before the children of Israel, only allot thou it [or divide it by lot] unto Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.” The psychological danger of fighting indefinitely without tangible fruits of the conquest was evident. The tribes had to be given a sense of ownership. Therefore the division without delay was imperative. Soncino

The Lord knows our tendency to get discouraged when we are so aware of what lands of character are still to be won. These verses show His awareness of Israel’s need for encouragement, and ours as well. One form of the encouragement He gives us may be a view of the finished picture. By lot, by divine choice and overruling, we are given a view of our inheritance, and inspiration to continue forward.

“What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how will He not also with him freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32 The “all things” are all the things necessary to victory in Christ, even in the face of abject weakness and relentless challenge. “…to those who have received (#2975: to obtain by lot—Vines) a faith of equal privilege with ours through the righteousness of our God and of our Savior Jesus Christ: may more and more grace and peace be granted to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that His divine power has given us all things that are needful for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and perfection.” 2 Peter 1:1-3 NASB/Weymouth “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37